Wall structure for railway cars



Aug. 16, 1927.

J. Mc MULLEN WALL STRUCTURE FOR RAIVLWAY CARS' Filed July SQ, 1925 Htl-arrcqys.

Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

' f UNITED STATES JOHN' MCMULLEN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WALL STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

Application fnea July so, 1925. serial No. 47,036.

This invention relates generally yto railway freight car construction, but more particularly to certain novel improvements in the construction of the end walls thereof.

Its chief object is to provide a wall structure of this character which is very strong, rigid and durable in construction, and which will eftectually resist the various pressures, impacts and stresses to which such walls are subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a comparatively light and .inexpensive sheet metalwall structure for freight cars which not only reliably support-s the root'V of the car but also strengthens the car structure as a whole.

A still further object is the provision of a sheet metal wall of .this character in which reinforcing members are formed integrally with the wall and extend both lengthwise and crosswise of the car.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an end view of a freight or box car equipped with my invention. Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section thereof on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section thereof on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3, inclusive, wherein the improvement is shown as applied to a wooden box car of standard construction, 10 indicates the upright corner posts at one end of the car, 11 the end sill, 12 the central ridge pole or beam, 13 and 14 the upper and lower end plates, respectively, 15 the side sheathing, 16 the end sheathing, 17 the roof and 18 the flooring of the car.

The end wall structure isformed of one or more panels or sections 19 of comparatively heavy sheet metal suitably fastened at their adjoining overlapping edges, as by rivets 2O or similar fastenings. Pressed or otherwise formed in these sections and preferably across theentire area thereof, are a plurality of substantially upright channels 21 facing alternately in opposite directions and separated by intervening ribs 22, both the channels and the ribs extending the full length of the sections or from the top to the bottom of the wall resulting therefrom.

The channels and ribs are preferably disposed equi-distant from one another, and are approximately rectangular in cross section, the former being relatively deep and wide and having their side walls 23 extending approximately vin the direction of the length of the car and their connecting webs 24 extending transversely of the car, said side walls being` substantially at right angles y to the webs, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. At their outer upright edges the multi-channeled sections terminate in attaching flanges 25 which overlap and are secured to the corner posts 10 of the car. At the front side of their lower ends said sections are securely fastened to the lower end plate 111 of the car-frame by rivets 26 or other appropriate fa'stenings, while the opposite or rear side of such lower ends are connected `by bolts 27 with the end sill 11. The upper rain, snow and the like from leaking into the interior of the car.

The sheathing 16 may be secured to the inner web portions 211 of the channeled-wall by bolts 31.

It is to be understood that this sheet metal wall structure is equally applicable for any other purpose; for example, it may be employed in connect-ion with the side walls of railway cars, in which case it is made up of a plurality of sections having vertical channels, identical with that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. v

claim as my invention: 95

1. `The combination with the upper and lower rails of a railway car body, of a sheetmetal wall therefor including substantially parallel channel-ribs extending from end to end thereof and attached at their op- 100 posite ends to the inner' sides of said upper and lower body-rails.

2. The combination with the upper and lower rails of a railway ear body, of a. sheet metal wall structure therefor formed with a plurality of channels of approximately ree- 'tangular shape in cross-section, said channels extending from end to end of the Wall and attached at. their opposite ends to the inner sides of said upper and lower body-mils, and nie-uns for sealing the open ends of the channels to prevent the access of snow, rain und the like to the interior of the oar body.

JOHN MOMULLEN. 

